Vulcanizing apparatus



May 20, 1924. 1,495.009

w. K. FLETCHER ET AL VULCANIZING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

ft% I2 I I -93 y 18 J simmer May 20, 1924. 1,495.009

w. K. FLETCHER ET AL VULCANIZING APPARATUS Filed July 24 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ewen/0n? )1! fi 776mb elf Patented May'2 0, i924.

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wanna xransana mama AND somr'nusnmna, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

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. Application filed July 24,

specificat on. I

This invention relates to combined presses and pans for vulcanizing or curing autonrliobile tyres and other moulded rubber arti- 0 es.

In apparatus of this kind hitherto em ployed, a mould table is adapted to be raised and lowered within a pan or curing chamber by means of a hydraulic ram, the top of the pan being'fitted with a heavy cover ,or being forced up against a stationary head by auxiliary rams, so that, when the pan is closed and the moulds are highly compressed between the mould table and the cover or head, steam can be admitted to the pan. As the moulds have to be inserted and removed from the pan at the upperfend thereof, it is usual, in order to bring that end tothe floor level, of the factory, to "build the apparatus in a pit or basement'which usually necessitates expensive excavation and coin crete or masonry work. In spite of the top of the pan being at floor level, considerable 3 I head "or abutment 1 is mounted at a suitable labour is involved in inserting and removing the moulds, especially when-afixed head is used.

Moreover, the accumulation of rubber residue in the botto of the pan necessitates frequent cleaning i order to "avoid'chok-ing' of drain and other outlets,fthe ins ecti'on and cleaning being dangerous. A urther disadvantage of the known apparatus is that 40 the pan has to be left open after each operation in order to allow the moulds to cool. This not only meansloss of time, but the.

apparatus is subjected to sudden in temperature.

The object of the present invention is to s v s avoid the above difliculties 'and iniflsuch-a 'ment on its rams ,7 and when it ism oneway that the output of the apparatus isincreased very considerably. I

' According tothe invention the ram, is adapted to remove the mould table from the curing chamber or pan after each curing operation, write an extent su'ficient to permit of the dpile' of moulds being removed and replace by another pile of moulds en 1922. Serial 1%. 577,247.

bloc. The pan is preferably stationary and inverted, so that the mould table is' at floor level, when fully withdrawn from the pan, and the pile of moulds may be carried by a trolley adapted to be run in and out of the press, the table itself being preferably removable from the remand being formed as a trolley.

Onetrolley or table with a pile of moulds can be thus replaced quickly by another at the end of each curing operation, so that the interval between succeeding curing operations is reduced to a minimum, and cooling of the apparatus is'avoided.

The invention also includes means for rapidly closing the pan, and'sa tety device for'avoiding premature opening-of the pan while under steam, and other details hereinafter referred to. i

One .form of apparatus according to the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein 'Figures land 2 are sectional elevations respectively showing the mould table inside and removed from the pan.

Figure 3 is a sectional planlon III-Ill Figure 2. j

Figure 4 is a sectional underside view on theline IVIV Figure 2.

In the form illustrated a heavy cast iron a corresponding series of lugs 12'is provided "on the. nner surface of the ring 5. The

cover 6. is capable of limited rotary. moveposition, for instance when being applied to and removed from the pan 4, its lugs 11- are free to pass between the lugs l21on the ring 5. On a slight rotation ofthe cover 6 when applied to the-pan 4,'the two series of lugs 11 and 12 cooperate to force the cover 6 tightly to'close the pan 4, Th

is procover 6 may be rotated by crow-bars inserted into holes 13 in lugs 14 on its underslde. The heads 16.0f the rams 7 may be rounded as shown to reduce frictional engagement with the cover.

The pan is steadied at its lower end by table 19 having for instance, a tapered boss.'

20 adapted to fit a recess in the underside of the table,'permitting of removal of the table, but holding it-central when in position. Asafety ring 36 may be provided on the upper end of the ram 18 below the table I 19, so that in the event of a failure in the hydraulic pressure during vulcanizing, the ram and its load will be brought to rest on the inner surface of the cover 6. The table 19 is fitted with rollers 21 on its underside, and when the cover 6 and table 19 have been lowered to their full extent clear'of the pan as shown in Figure .2, the rollers 21 engage with and sup-portthe table 19 on portable rails 22 inserted for the purpose of enabling the table 19 to be runofi the main ram 18,

and another loaded table to be" run in position onto the main ram. Severalrail tracks 22 on the floor 2, Figure 3, may radiate from the apparatus to facilitate rapid removal and replacement of the trolleys or tables 19. When a table 19 loadedwith moulds is run into the operative position on the main ram 18, the portable rails .22 are removed as the main ram begins to rise and takes the load. The table '19 with its load of moulds is then raised into the pan 4,-Figure 1. Suitable ides such as rails 38 may be provided in the pan 4 to ensure alignment of the table and the ram 18. The cover 6 is applied to the pan 4 by the auxiliary rams 7. The cover 6 is rotated to co-operate with the locking ring 5, to effect a steam-tight joint, and the moulds are squeezed against the head 1, by

the main ram 18., Steam at adequate pres-' sure is admitted to the pan by a p1pe23.

After the required interval of time the steam is cut off and is exhausted through a suitable outlet pipe 24. The pressure of the auxiliary rams 7 is then apphed to take the weight of the cover 6 which cover is next rotated to release it fromthe locking rin 5.

" The cover 6 and the main ram 18 with its loaded table 19 are then free to be lowered from the rpan 4. the table removed and replaced-by another and the process repeated. Suitable flexible connections 37 may be provided on the cover 6 to permit of drainage while the pan is under steam.

In order to avoid premature opening of the pan 4, while under steam, a safety-device or lock is provided which has to be unlocked before the .cover 6 can be rotated and freed engaging with teeth 26'on the cov r 6 under the action of a spring 27. A han v lever 28 pivoted at 29 on the locking ring 5, is pro-' vided to enable the operator to disengage the detent 25 from the teeth 26. Then the lever 28 is moved for this purpose it presses against the stem- 30 of a valve 31 on the pan 4, and moves it ofi' its seating-32.

If there be sufficient steam pressure in the pan 4 steam will escape'past the valve 31 and warn the operator. A shield 33 is preferably fitted to avoid injury to the operator. The lever 28 may be locked temporarily with the detent 25 out of engagement with the teeth 26 by a pin 34 inserted through a hole in a suit.- able lug 35 on the locking ring, the pin engaging behind the lever 28 to hold it in the position indicated in Figure 2.

. We claim:

1. A combined press and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a pan, an abut- .ment, a mould table and a ram for moving said mould table, relatively to said pan and abutment, said ram being adapted to withdraw said mould table from sald pan, at the moved and replaced by another pile of moulds en bloc.

2. A combined press'and pan for vulcan= izing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary pan, a fixed abutment at one end thereof, a cover for the end of the pan opposite to said abutment, means forapplying said cover tosaid pan and for removing it therefrom, and a ram supporting a mould table and ada ted to move it into said pan and out there rom to a position suflicientlyremote from said pan to enable a pile of moulds tobe removed from'said table and replaced by another pile en bloc, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. A combined press'and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary an,

' a cover at oneend thereof, forming an a utment, aremovable cover at the opposite end, a'mould table in the form of a trolley, and rains for moving said removable coverand said mould table relatively to said an and for removing both to positions su eiently remote from the pan to permit of the removal vremote from the pan said removable cover, and a moul said ram, substantially as and for the pur'- of the mould table, from the press with a pile of moulds, thereon.

. 4. A combined pressand pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprisin a stationary pan, a cover at one end thereo forming an abutment, a removable cover at the opposite end, means for locking said removable cover to said pan when in closing position thereon, a mould table, in the form of a trolley, and rams for moving said removable cover and said mould table relatively to said pan and for removing both to positions sufficiently to permit of the removal of the mould table, from the press with a pile of moulds thereon.

5. A combined 'press and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary pan, closedand having an abutment at one end thereof, a removable. cover at the opposite end, means for moving said removable cover to and from the an, a ram passin through table on pose hereinbefore set forth.

6. A combined press and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres andv other rubber articles, comprising a stationary pan, closed and having an abutment at one end thereof, a removable cover at the opposite end, means for moving said removable cover to and from the pan, a ram passing through said removable cover, a mould table on said ram, means for supplying steam to said pan, means for locking said removable cover to said pan, when in closing position thereon, a warning valve on said pan and means cooperating-with said locking means and said valve for the purposeof preventing release of said locking means until said valve has been opened, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

7 A combined press'and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary pan, closed and having an abutment atone end thereof, a removable cover at the opposite end, means for moving said removable cover to and from the pan, a ram passing through said removable cover, a mould table on said ram, and interlocking means on said pan and removable cover operable by a relative rotary movement, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

8. Arombined press and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary pan, closed and having an abutment at one end thereof, a removable cover at the opposite end,means for moving said removable cover to and from the pan, a ram passing through said removable cover, a'mould table on said ram, and lnterlocklng means on Said pan, 7

. as. and for to-co-operate with the lugs on said removable cover, substantially as and for the purpose 'hereinbefore set forth.

9. A combined press and pan for vulcanizing orcuring automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary inverted pan, permanently closed at its upper end and having a removable cover for its lower end, an abutment head for the upper end of said pan, a mouldtable, a main ram for moving said table .into and out of said pan, said main ram passin through said removable cover, and auxi iary rams for moving said removable cover to and from the adjacent end of said pan,substa-ntially the purpose h'ereinbefore set forth.

ring on said pan alsohaving lugs spaced apart and adapted on rotation of said ring 10. A combined press and pan for vulcanizing or curing automobile tyres and other rubber articles, comprising a stationary inverted pan, permanently closed at its upper end and having a removable cover for its lower end, and

abutment head for the upper end of said pan, a mould'table, a main ram for moving said table into and out of said pan, said main ram passing through said removable cover, auxiliary rams for moving said removable cover to and from the adjacent end of said pan, said main and auxiliary rams being adapted to lower said cover and mouldtable into a position sufiiciently remote from said pan to permit of the insertion or removal of .a pile of moulds en bloc,

from thepress, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

11. A combined press and pan for vulcanizing orcuring automobile. tyresand other rubber articles, comprising astationary inverted pan, permanently closed at its upper end and having a removable cover for its lower end, an abutment head for the upper end of said pan,a.removable mould table,

in the form of a trolley, a main ram for moving said table into and out of said pan,

said main ram'passing through said vremovable cover, auxiliary rams for moving said removable cover to and from the adjacent end of said pan, rail tracks adjacent to said press and spaced well below said pan, said main ram being adapted to lo er said mould table to. the level of said rai tracks,

and means for guiding said table onto and off said rail tracks and said main ram, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. I

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

WALTER KIRKBANK FLETCHER. JOHN RUSHMER. 

